North Sea Key to Reindustrialising Scotland

The SNP’s Energy Strategy has been delayed for more than 1,000 days, it has emerged, as Scottish Labour leader Michael Marra has said the North Sea is crucial to reindustrialising Scotland.

Mr Marra made the call at a visit to ATR Group in Aberdeen.

The Scottish Labour leader had raised the North Sea directly with the Prime Minister and said it should form part of a broader industrial future for Scotland.

In January 2023 the SNP launched a draft strategy setting out its approach to the energy transition – including the future of oil and gas – when Nicola Sturgeon was still First Minister.

Commenting, Scottish Labour Leader Michael Marra said “The North Sea is vital to industrialisation in Scotland and to our energy and economic security. Scottish Labour won a vote in parliament last week achieving support for that view.

“The energy industry should be the sector that powers Scotland’s economic growth for decades to come.

“But for too long ideology has come before Scottish workers – whether it’s windfarms or oil fields.

“We must back renewables, we must back our oil and gas workers and we must look at a new generation of nuclear.

“I am as ever willing to work with the Scottish Government on this. A starting point should be John Swinney publishing the long-delayed energy strategy, including a plan for oil and gas. Labour will engage with it on good faith based on what is best for Scottish workers.”

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

  1. Vote in Parliament: S7M-01376.3 | Scottish Parliament Website

On 30th September, Parliament voted 77-42 for the Labour Amendment.

  1. Timeline

The Scottish Government published its draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan in January 2023. It committed to publishing the final version by summer 2024. As of Monday 5th October 2026, the final strategy remains unpublished.

DateEvent
10 January 2023The Scottish Government publishes its draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, setting out its approach to the energy transition, including the future of oil and gas.
3 March 2023The Government extends the consultation deadline to 9 May 2023.
9 May 2023The public consultation closes.
28 September 2023The Government publishes its consultation analysis and confirms that the final strategy is expected by summer 2024.
20 February 2024Energy Minister Gillian Martin reiterates the commitment to publish the final strategy by summer 2024.
Summer 2024The original publication deadline passes without the final strategy being published.
27 September 2024The Government indicates that it intends to publish the strategy shortly.
December 2024The UK Government publishes its Clean Power 2030 Action Plan. The Scottish Government subsequently cites changes in UK energy policy as one reason for revisiting its strategy.
20 May 2025Gillian Martin tells Parliament that the strategy is being revised in light of proceedings in the UK Supreme Court. No publication date is provided.
September 2025The strategy remains unpublished, more than two and a half years after the draft was released.
January 2026The strategy remains unpublished, with the Scottish Government giving no firm date for publication.
Monday 5 October 2026The final strategy remains unpublished, more than three years and eight months after the original draft was released.
  • 1,364 days since the draft strategy was published on 10 January 2023.
  • 765 days since the end of the original summer 2024 publication deadline (31 August 2024).
  • Nearly three years and nine months since the draft was published.
  • Over two years since the original publication deadline.
  • No final strategy published, despite repeated commitments.